The Concepts Of Knowledge And Happiness In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that piece is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his spirit will allow (Shelley 60). In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, she expresses her feels regarding the danger of pursue happiness through the attainment of knowledge, because true happiness is found in the emotional connections established between people. The pursuit of knowledge is not ineluctably an evil thing, but it can cause destruction when it is pursued beyond natural limits. Victor Frankenstein becomes a slave to his passion for learning in more than one way first his life is controlled by his regression to create life, and later he becomes a slave to the monster he has created. Frankenstein describes the beginning of his life as a happy time with his family. During his childhood, Frankenstein was perfervid about learning, but his emotio nal connection with Elizabeth kept him from completely enthralling himself in his studies (Shelley 38). When Frankenstein left home to study at the university of Ingolstadt, he became mark on his quest to uncover the mystery of life. He tells of working in the laboratory until sunrise and being indifferent to the beauty of the world slightly him (Shelley 56-63). These changes in Frankensteins way of life represent Shelleys belief that ones passions must be controlled or the passions wi...